Method of cleaning feed water heaters



Patented Oct. 13, 1936 v UNITED STATES IVIETHOD OF CLEANING FEED WATERHEATERS Frank H. Graham and Vern D. Washburn, Jackson, Mich.

N Drawing. Application April 14, 1932, Serial No. 605,349

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved decarbonizing and degreasingcomposition and the method of using the same. In its broadest aspect,this invention has application in all fields in which the removal ofoils, greases and like foreign matter from surfaces is desired. Morespecifically considered, this invention has particular application inproviding a decarbonizing composition which will readily remove thegummy carbon which accumulates in locomotive feed water heatersresulting from the oil carried in the exhaust steam employed to heat thefeed water.

It is a purpose of this invention to provide a decarbonizing anddegreasing composition which does not possess the undesirable featuresof known compositions employed for similar purposes, namely, low flashpoint and rapid evaporation, yet possesses a greater affinity fordissolving carbonized oils and greases than more volatile solvents foroil and greases.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a decarbonizing anddegreasing composition which is not appreciably affected in its actionby repeated use and may be readily reconditioned thus effecting decidedeconomy in its employment.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear as thedescription of the invention 39 proceeds. It is to be distinctivelyunderstood, however, that we do not intend to limit ourselves to theexact details described but that we intend to include as a part of ourinvention, all such obvious changes and modifications of ingredients aswould occur to those skilled in this art and would fall within the scopeof the claims.

In the preparation of our improved decarbonizing and degreasingcomposition, we employ a light lubricating oil, constituting 60% to 85%of the volume, as a base. Any of the oils distilled off between andincluding gas oil and red engine oil has been found suitable to varyingdegrees. Such oils have a Saybolt viscosity at 100 F. of about 50 to 200and a flash point of about 265 to 410 F. Preferably we employ aparafiine oil with a flash point of approximately 330 F. and of aviscosity of 80-85 at 100 F. To the paraffine oil base, 15% to 40%, byvolume, of a mineral burning oil, preferably coal oil, is thoroughlymixed.

Although our composition possesses satisfactory cleaning properties atnormal atmospheric temperatures, we prefer to heat the same in a vatbetween 150 F. and 250 F. and immerge the feed water heater or the likein the same.

To facilitate the decarbonizing and degreasing action of thecomposition, the vat may be equipped with an agitator. In operation, ithas been found that a locomotive feed water heater, after a 75,000 milerun, literally clogged with a gummy carbonized coating of oil and greasecarried by the exhaust steam, may be completely cleaned in 15 to 30minutes by soaking in a vat containing our improved composition.

In actual operation, an open vat containing 84 gallons of our improvedcomposition has been in continuous operation for three weeks, cleaninglarge locomotive feed water heaters with less than 5% evaporation and noobservable decrease of the effective cleaning properties.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that we have provided a decarbonizing and degreasing compositionwhich is particularly eifective in cleaning locomotive feed waterheaters and the like having a high flash point and a low rate ofevaporation.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. The process of removing the gummy coating formed by the deposit ofburned and carbonized lubricating oil from exhaust steam, resulting fromthe high temperature of the exhaust steam in exhaust steam heated feedwater heaters, and the like, which comprises immersing the heater in acomposition comprising to 85 percent paraffin oil distilled off directlyabove gas oil having a Saybolt viscosity at F. of about 50 to 200 and aflash point of about 265 F. to 410 F., and 15 to 40 percent coal oil ata temperature substantially between F. and 250 F., said proportionsbeing by volume.

2. The process of removing the gummy coating formed by the deposit ofburned and carbonized lubricating oil from exhaust steam, resulting fromthe high temperature of the exhaust steam in exhaust steam heated feedwater heaters, and the like, which comprises immersing the heater in acomposition comprising 60 to 85 percent paraffin oil distilled offdirectly above gas oil having a Saybolt viscosity at 100 F. of about 50to 200 and a flash point of about 265 F. to 410 F., and 15 to 40 percentcoal oil, and agitating said composition at a temperature substantiallybetween 150 and 250 F., said proportions being by volume.

3. The process of removing the gummy coating formed by the deposit ofburned and carbonized lubricating oil from exhaust steam, resultinghaving a Saybolt viscosity at 100 F. of about 50 from the hightemperature of the exhaust steam to 200 and. a flash point of about 265F. to 410 in exhaust steam heated feed water heaters, and F., and 15 to40 percent coal oil, said proportions the'like, which comprisesimmersing the heater being by volume.

in a composition comprising 60 to 85 percent VERN D. WASHBURN. 5paraflin oil distilled off directly above gas oil FRANK H. GRAHAM.

